Reading a computer screen can be difficult for many visually impaired users. In order to assist these users in navigating computer screens, many different applications and devices have been developed. Two applications that are commonly utilized by the visually impaired to navigate a computer screen are screen readers and screen magnifiers. Generally, a screen reader determines what is on the screen and communicates this information to the user through a speech synthesizer or a Braille display. A screen magnifier magnifies a portion of the screen such that the user can more easily read the magnified portion of the screen.
When a screen reader is running, a synthesized voice may describe menu items, keyboard entries, graphics and text for other applications. For example, when a user presses the space bar, the screen reader may say “space.” Similarly, when the cursor is over a menu item of another application, the screen reader may say the command name. Users typically navigate the computer screen using keyboard shortcuts while listening to the audio generated by the screen reader. When exploring the screen to determine its content, a user may lose track of their position on the screen or may accidentally change the state of a control on the screen.